Almere, inclusive city in a new land Lessons Learned (?)- What next?

Content Background The project: Inclusive City First results and conclusions

Content Background The project: Inclusive City First results and conclusions

Background 1 – Dutch Policy 1)Emancipation movement disabled people: – regaining autonomy and full membership society 2)´Reinventing´ Welfare State – (Esping Andersen:) From corporatist + social- democratic towards anglosaxon – Less government, more market (less money) 1+2 =)Law on Social Support (Wmo) – Local governments responsible for (informal) care and participation disabled people – (Budget reduction due to (a.o.) eurocrisis)

Background 2 –city with no history New land in an old country: Almere : rapidly expanding city, expanding city, bordering on Amsterdam A rather new, enthusiastic and cohesive neighbourhood (rather young, rather well-to- do)

Content Background The project: Inclusive City First results and conclusions

Start 2010 Spontaneous initiatives citizens Stripheldenbuurt – due to care provisions in vicinity Ambitions Almere Government, i.c. alderman Wmo… Cooperation Disability Studies in Nederland (DSiN) and University for Applied Sciences Flevoland (research and education), with financial support from

Plans Pilot Almere Inclusive City Phase 1 (sept.- dec. 2012) – Inventarisation existing interventions – Neighbourhoodbased research – Installation neighourhood comittee Phase 2 (jan 2013) – StartMeeting Phase 3 (jan- dec 2013) – Research projects (trying to connect) – Description projects – Integral description, discerning success factors Phase 4 (dec.2013) – Results: methodology social inclusion – Efficacy and effectiveness

Upp till now.. Start Meeting march 2013 – More than 100 attendees Since then three meetings with citizens, tours through neighbourhood and inventarisation wishes,possibilities and actions December 2013 installation neighbourhoodcommittee 2013: chair DSiN at VU Amsterdam

Content Background The project: Inclusive City First results and conclusions

Content Background The project: Inclusive City First results and conclusions and what next???

Conclusions Facilitating factors for inclusion: – Social cohesion in neighbourhood ? – Care provisions in vicinity? – Political support? – Additonal Funding? – Some one who rules the roost? And still: – ……. It takes time….

So, what’s next? On the one hand March 2014: elections municipalities 2015: Changes in Law on Social Support : less money for municipalities and providers long term care ‘perverse system’ health insurance: ‘encourages’ intramural care On the other National laws: more emphasis on participation ánd inclusion disabled people; More social support for community care (cf. attention charity funding) International developments, do not stop at Dutch border!!

So, what’s next? The new wildernisStrength that cares It may take some time but it’s worth it..